US3820776A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet stripping device
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
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Filing: 1972-05-10
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Granted: 1974-06-28
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Expires: 1992-05-10
Abstract
Abstract A device comprising a plurality of separators each pivotally supported at the base and formed at the free end with a sheet pick-off claw and a sheet guide lip contiguous with the claw. The sheet pick-off claws are adapted to be brought into engagement with the peripheral surface of a drum to pick off the leading end of a sheet electrostatically adhering to the peripheral surface of the drum, and the leading end of the sheet thus picked off is brought into abutting engagement with the sheet guide lips to push and move the lips as the drum rotates. The separators move in pivotal motion as successive portions of the sheet are separated from the peripheral surface of the drum in a direction in which the sheet pick-off claws are brought out of engagement with the drum and the sheet is guided by the lips to change the direction of its movement and move away from the separators toward capture and conveyor means.
Inventors
- 👤 S Fujimoto
- 👤 T Satomi
- 👤 M Tomizuka
- 👤 M Yamauchi
- 👤 T Ogawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 13:23
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/65; G03G15/6532; B; B65; B65H; B65H29/00; B65H29/54; B65H29/56; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S271/00; Y10S271/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
317 words
A sheet stripping device for removing copy sheets from the surface of a rotating electrophotographic drum comprising: a. a rotatable shaft disposed parallel to the axis of said drum; b. a plurality of separators, each having one end pivotally supported on said shaft and biased by its own weight to cause its free end to be brought into engagement with the peripheral surface of the drum, which free end comprises: i. a pick-off claw for engagement with the peripheral surface of the drum to pick off a leading end of a copy sheet thereon; and ii. a lip portion contiguous with said pick-off claw for engagement with and guiding the leading end of a copy sheet picked off by said claw; c. means for synchronizing the rotational movements of said shaft with the rotation of the drum such that said shaft is rotated just before the leading end of a copy sheet reaches a pick-off position during drum rotation; d. coupling means acting between said shaft and said separators for restraining said separators at a standby position from dropping into engagement with the peripheral surface of thE drum until said shaft is rotated in response to said synchronizing means; e. sheet capture and conveyer means disposed substantially below the plurality of separators, so that when the drum rotates and the leading end of the sheet adhering to the peripheral surface of the drum is brought to said pick-off position said pick-off claws are dropped into engagement with the peripheral surface of the drum and the leading end of the sheet is picked off by the claws and brought into abutting engagement with the lip portions whereby the separators are moved in pivotal motion away from the drum as the lip portions guide the sheet and change the direction of movement of the leading end of the sheet to direct the sheet toward said capture and conveyer means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
317 words
A sheet stripping device for removing copy sheets from the surface of a rotating electrophotographic drum comprising: a. a rotatable shaft disposed parallel to the axis of said drum; b. a plurality of separators, each having one end pivotally supported on said shaft and biased by its own weight to cause its free end to be brought into engagement with the peripheral surface of the drum, which free end comprises: i. a pick-off claw for engagement with the peripheral surface of the drum to pick off a leading end of a copy sheet thereon; and ii. a lip portion contiguous with said pick-off claw for engagement with and guiding the leading end of a copy sheet picked off by said claw; c. means for synchronizing the rotational movements of said shaft with the rotation of the drum such that said shaft is rotated just before the leading end of a copy sheet reaches a pick-off position during drum rotation; d. coupling means acting between said shaft and said separators for restraining said separators at a standby position from dropping into engagement with the peripheral surface of thE drum until said shaft is rotated in response to said synchronizing means; e. sheet capture and conveyer means disposed substantially below the plurality of separators, so that when the drum rotates and the leading end of the sheet adhering to the peripheral surface of the drum is brought to said pick-off position said pick-off claws are dropped into engagement with the peripheral surface of the drum and the leading end of the sheet is picked off by the claws and brought into abutting engagement with the lip portions whereby the separators are moved in pivotal motion away from the drum as the lip portions guide the sheet and change the direction of movement of the leading end of the sheet to direct the sheet toward said capture and conveyer means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A sheet stripping device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said synchronizing means comprises a cam mounted for rotation with the drum, and an elongated arm firmly secured to the shaft acting as a follower of said cam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
74 words
A sheet stripping device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises a plurality of slots, one being formed in each of said separators, a plurality of arms mounted on the supporting shaft for rotation therewith and one being disposed adjacent each of said separators, and a plurality of pins, one each being attached at one end to one of said arms and having its other end extending through said slot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A sheet stripping device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said synchronizing means comprises an electromagnet, and an elongated arm firmly secured to the shaft supporting the separators and coupled to said electromagnet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
A sheet stripping device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sheet capture and conveyor means comprises an endless belt, and a suction box disposed between an upper run and a lower run of said endless belt to draw by suction the sheet guided by the lips of said plurality of separators toward the upper run of said endless belt.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A sheet stripping device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sheet capture and conveyor means comprises a plurality of rollers adapted to rotate while being maintained in pressing engagement with each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A sheet stripping device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of separators are each formed with a plurality of lips.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
A sheet stripping device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising restoring force reducing means for reducing the force with which the separators are returned to the standby position in which they are maintained out of engagement with the peripheral surface of the drum after each sheet has had the direction of its movement changed by the separators, so that violent impinging of th pick-off claws of the separators on the peripheral surface of the drum is precluded.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
96 words
A sheet stripping device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said restoring force reducing means comprises: i. a plurality of collars mounted on said shaft each adjacent a respective separator; ii. a plurality of stoppers, each associated with a respective separator; and iii. a plurality of coil springs mounted on the shaft supporting the separators and abutting at one end a respective one of said separators and at the other end a respective collar mounted on the separator supporting shaft, said coil springs urging by their biasing force each separator to move toward a stopper.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
287 words
A sheet stripping device for removing copy sheets from the surface of an electrophotographic drum comprising: a. a rotatable shaft disposed parallel to the axis of said drum; b. a plurality of separators, each having one end pivotally mounted on said shaft and biased by its own weight to cause its free end to pivot toward the peripheral surface of the drum, which free end comprises: i. a pick-off claw for engagement with the leading end of a copy sheet carried on the peripheral surface of the drum; and ii. a lip portion contiguous with said pick-off claw for guiding the leading end of a copy sheet engaged by said claw; c. means for synchronizing the pivotal movements of said separators with the rotation of the drum comprising: i. means for indicating when the leading end of a copy sheet reaches a pick-off position during drum rotation; ii. a plurality of pick-off claw members firmly secured to the shaft supporting said separators and pivotable in response to said indicating means to rotate said shaft when said copy sheet leading end reaches said pick-off position, each of said plurality of pick-off claw members forming a pair with one of said plurality of separators and formed with a claw at its free end which is biased by the weight of said member to be maintained in engagement with the peripheral surface of the drum; iii. stopper means provided on each of said separators and engaging the ends of each of said pick-off claw members opposite their free ends for restraining said separators from pivoting toward the peripheral surface of said drum in an origianl standby position until said pick-off claw members are pivoted in response to said indicating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
287 words
A sheet stripping device for removing copy sheets from the surface of an electrophotographic drum comprising: a. a rotatable shaft disposed parallel to the axis of said drum; b. a plurality of separators, each having one end pivotally mounted on said shaft and biased by its own weight to cause its free end to pivot toward the peripheral surface of the drum, which free end comprises: i. a pick-off claw for engagement with the leading end of a copy sheet carried on the peripheral surface of the drum; and ii. a lip portion contiguous with said pick-off claw for guiding the leading end of a copy sheet engaged by said claw; c. means for synchronizing the pivotal movements of said separators with the rotation of the drum comprising: i. means for indicating when the leading end of a copy sheet reaches a pick-off position during drum rotation; ii. a plurality of pick-off claw members firmly secured to the shaft supporting said separators and pivotable in response to said indicating means to rotate said shaft when said copy sheet leading end reaches said pick-off position, each of said plurality of pick-off claw members forming a pair with one of said plurality of separators and formed with a claw at its free end which is biased by the weight of said member to be maintained in engagement with the peripheral surface of the drum; iii. stopper means provided on each of said separators and engaging the ends of each of said pick-off claw members opposite their free ends for restraining said separators from pivoting toward the peripheral surface of said drum in an origianl standby position until said pick-off claw members are pivoted in response to said indicating means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sheet stripping device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said plurality of separators are each formed with the plurality of lip portions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A sheet stripping deivce as set forth in claim 10 wherein said indicating means comprises a plurality of grooves in the peripheral surface of the drum in alignment with said pick-off claw members.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A sheet stripping device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said stopper means comprises an arm member extending from the ends of each of said separators opposite their free ends.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-27 | 1977-12-27 | 1978-06-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-27 | 1981-12-27 | 1982-06-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-27 | 1985-12-27 | 1986-06-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |